A gas turbine engine generally includes, in serial flow order, a compressor section, a combustion section, a turbine section, and an exhaust section. In operation, air enters an inlet of the compressor section where one or more axial compressors progressively compress the air until it reaches the combustion section. Fuel mixes with the compressed air and burns within the combustion section, thereby creating combustion gases. The combustion gases flow from the combustion section through a hot gas path defined within the turbine section and then exit the turbine section via the exhaust section.
In particular configurations, the turbine section includes, in serial flow order, a high pressure (HP) turbine and a low pressure (LP) turbine. The HP and the LP turbines each include one or more turbine blades that extract kinetic energy and/or thermal energy from the combustion gases flowing therethrough. Each turbine blade typically includes a turbine shroud, which forms a ring or enclosure around the turbine blade. That is, each turbine shroud is positioned radially outward from and circumferentially encloses each corresponding turbine blade. In this respect, each turbine blade and each corresponding turbine shroud form a gap therebetween.
The components defining the hot gas path, such as the turbine shrouds, may be constructed a ceramic matrix composite material or another material capable of withstanding prolonged exposure to the hot combustion gases. The components positioned radially outward from the hot gas path, such as the turbine shroud mounts, typically experience lower temperatures than the components along the hot gas path. In this respect, these components may be constructed from suitable metallic materials.
Metallic pins are typically used in the gas turbine engine to couple components in gas turbine engines constructed from disparate materials (e.g., a ceramic matrix composite turbine shroud and a metallic turbine shroud mount). But, metallic pins exhibit poor wear characteristics when in contact with a disparate material, such as a ceramic matrix composite. This results in increased maintenance costs, which increases gas turbine operating costs. Furthermore, poor wear characteristics may lead to poor shroud positioning, which results in increased specific fuel consumption. Accordingly, a retention assembly for a stationary component of a gas turbine engine that provides improved wear characteristics would be welcomed in the technology.